KnightMare
by Silent Cobra
Summary: 5 Weeks after Hush, Batman and Catwoman are violently attacked. Now, they must figure out who is behind the violent attacks and put a stop to them...before death ensues. Please R&R BMCW


KnightMare

By Silent Cobra

AN: This takes place about 5 weeks after Hush.

Chapter One

_God Alfred…I miss her so much…._

Gotham, a black city with an even blacker heart. There is no ray of hope here.

_What have I done Alfred? Why?_

It is the same every night. Blackness makes the stars invisible. Its strange, how in most other cities, light pollution blanks the stars, but not here.

_I wish…I wish I could do it over again._

Light is shrouded in darkness. It is almost like the lights are afraid of what lives in the darkness…perhaps they are afraid of me…

_Alfred…I love her…._

Yet I am like the light of this city. Without me…it would have destroyed itself years ago.

_Might I suggest, Master Bruce, that you tell her._

Gotham…A dark city…Batman, a Dark Knight. It's getting darker. I am afraid that I will lose my way…and be swallowed…by the night.

BATMAN

Catwoman straddled a gargoyle's neck on a high tower in the center of Gotham. She watched the coming and goings of the people and sighed. What was she doing up here? It was this spot…

No! she chided herself, you can't think like that.

It was stupid to come back here every night, and for what? It wasn't like he would ever come back here. He avoided it, she knew him, and she knew that he would do that.

She looked up at the night sky and frowned. It was a clear night, of that she was certain. But the stars were eclipsed. Selina Kyle closed her eyes behind the lens of her goggles and listened.

She listened to the cars, far below her on the street.

She listened to the airplanes flying overhead.

She listened to the sound of her own heart beating. That was a comforting sound. It meant she was alive. Physically at least.

Selina reached a hand up and touched her hair. She had decided to grow it out after…after him. It came down to her chin. She was glad it grew so fast, but it had left a problem for her costume. She had gotten rid of the cowl and now just wore the goggles, with a set of ears attached to it. She knew how to modify the cowl, as her hair had once been very long, but she had not been in the mood.

It was weird. She wondered briefly if he'd like it, and shook her head to clear her mind of such thoughts.

A soft breeze teased the tendrils of her hair…and it whispered her name. She opened her eyes and smiled. It sounded like him.

"Selina…" she looked down at the top of the gargoyle and caressed the stone demon.

"Selina?" the voice was more insistent now…and standing right behind her!

She leapt to her feet and spun, leaping at the shadow. Her claws ripped through the shadow, decimating it.

At least, that was what happened in her mind.

BATMAN

I lunged at the shadow on the rooftop. I imagined my claws slicing through it and destroying the image that had been haunting me for almost five weeks.

My claws met fabric, and then Kevlar. Kevlar doesn't stop claws very well.

Good God, he was really here.

He stood there, blood dripping slowly down the front of the Batsuit. I narrowed my eyes and stared at him.

"Batman…" I hissed coldly, "What are you doing here?"

He looked at me, well, I think he did. The lenses made it hard to see where his eyes were. He reached up and pulled the cowl off his head, revealing the haggard face of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne.

I remember the first time he unmasked himself for me. I was so shocked to learn that Bruce Wayne harbored Batman inside of him.

"Selina…" he whispered again. I pushed my goggles down around my neck. Here we were, standing on top of the same tower that two months ago I had kissed him, and then our lives fell apart.

"I…I'm…" he was stuttering. Batman never stuttered. But this was Bruce Wayne standing before. Batman was hovering in a corner of his mind, watching. Possibly even agreeing to what Bruce was doing.

This was hard for him, so I let him talk.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered. I was shocked. Those were the last words that I had expected to come out of his mouth on this rooftop.

"I'm sorry," he said again, more firmly this time. I stared at him, trying to find any malice in his words, and failing miserably.

He reached up and touched my hair with a gloved hand. "I like it…" he said. I smiled, and his hand dropped to my cheek. I tensed, and the slowly allowed myself to relax against him.

"Why are you here, Bruce?"

"You come here every night," he stated firmly. My mouth dropped open again, and I just stared.

"You've been following me?"

"Every night…" His hand dropped to his side. "Selina…" he stepped closer to me. I tensed slightly.

"Selina, I love you."

BATMAN

"Selina, I love you," Bruce whispered. Selina felt her heart beat faster, reminding her once again that she was alive.

"Bruce Wayne loves you, Batman loves you. Selina…I love you…"

Selina stepped up to him and pressed her hand against his chest. She stood on tiptoe and kissed the corner of his mouth.

"It took you long enough…" she said. She closed her eyes and tilted her head. Their lips brushed, softly at first, then much more insistently.

"Bruce…I love you…" she whispered, before attacking his lips with fervor once more.

They never saw it coming. The man who attacked them. One second they were on the roof, engaged in a passionate kiss, the next, he was crumpled in a heap, and she was flung aside.

Bruce grunted and pulled himself to his feet. A punch came from the right; he felt and heard his jaw shatter. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he crumpled to the ground. He put his hand out and slowly pushed himself to his knees. A red boot encased foot slammed down on his hand, crushing the bones.

He looked up. Selina was struggling to her feet. His vision was going. Another punch rendered him unconscious, and the world went dark.

Selina stood up. Breathing was difficult…but she could only focus on Bruce. He was fighting valiantly against their attacker…but nothing could beat the man who attacked them.

She knelt next to her former loot bag and drew out a small chunk of rock. She could not believe she was seeing this…it could NOT be happening.

Superman was killing Batman.

BATMAN

I gripped the Kryptonite (I had stolen it from Batman a very, very long time ago) firmly in my hand and rushed Superman. He was so intent on killing Bruce that he never saw me coming. I slammed the rock against his skull. He spun, and I could see him weakening. He called something to the air and took off as best he could.

I dropped next to Bruce and cradled his head in my lap. The cowl hung limply behind his neck. I could see the bone in what had once been his jaw was shattered. The bone surrounding his left eye was crushed, his right hand was a mess of bones and flesh. I checked for a pulse. It beat erratically against my fingers.

He was dying!

I felt tears gather in my eyes. God Damn it! Why did this have to happen now? I had no way of contacting…wait a minute…yes I did!

I slowly removed the cowl and held it up. Yes, right there, the radio device to contact Oracle. The OraCom. I spoke into the thing.

"Oracle?"

"Who is this?" her voice came back immediately, reassuring me despite the nasty tone of her voice.

"Catwoman…Its Catwoman."

I could hear the frown in her voice. "What happened? Why isn't Batman talking on this channel? This is a restricted channel."

"We…" OW! A sharp pain lanced through my ribs. "We were attacked. He's in really bad shape, Oracle."

I paused. "He's dying…"

"Nightwing is in the vicinity. He's bringing the jet." A pause, "Are you okay, Catwoman?"

She was concerned for me? How cute…

"I'm good…I wasn't the target…"

I looked up as the Bat Jet landed silently on the roof.

"Nightwing is here….Thanks Oracle."

BATMAN

Nightwing landed the jet expertly. He leapt from the cockpit and headed over to Selina and Batman.

"Good God!" he cried upon seeing his former mentor's face.

"What happened?"

"Super…Superman attacked us…" Selina said, looking up at the young crime fighter.

"What!" Nightwing said. He hit his knees next to her. "I programmed the Jet to fly straight to the Watch Tower. They have the best medical facilities. There's only one seat though…"

Dick Grayson was confused. How (and why) would Superman attack and nearly kill Batman? It didn't make any sense whatsoever. He mentally shrugged and shoved the question to the back of his mind. Right now, Bruce needed medical attention.

"I'll get in first, and you can put Bruce on top of me…" Selina whispered. Dick nodded. Selina slowly stood up and walked slowly over to the jet's cockpit. She slipped into the seat and waited. She could hear Dick grunt as he picked the larger man up and carefully set him on top of her.

Bruce's head lolled back onto her shoulder. She could feel his shattered jaw against her own. It was unnerving.

"Do me a favor, Dick?"

He nodded slowly. "There is a bag over there, bring it to the Watch Tower first chance you get. There should be a piece of Kryptonite on the roof, bring that as well. Also, get a hold of Alfred and Commissioner Gordon and tell them what happened."

Dick nodded. He touched Bruce's cheek and winced when he felt the bone protruding from it.

"Take care of him, Selina, I'll join you at the Tower as soon as I can."

Selina nodded and shut her eyes. The canopy on the Batjet silently closed and the jet powered up and lifted from the roof.

BATMAN

I watched the Jet power up and leave. This was strange, why would Superman attack Batman?

Better question, did Selina and Bruce get back together? Now, don't get me wrong, she makes him happy. For the past five weeks, he's been miserable. Maybe he met Selina here to make up.

God, I hope so. Even Alfred says that Bruce has been more…psycho…than normal.

I walked over to the bag that Selina had pointed out. It was empty, and I wondered briefly why she had it. I glanced around and saw the small chunk of Kryptonite on the roof. I smiled, I had been Robin when she had stolen that from Bruce. He was so angry, I hid in my room for three days.

I reached down and picked it up. I examined it closely. Aha! There was a tiny spot of blood…we could do a DNA check on it…

"Nightwing?" Oracle asked.

"Is this channel secure?" I replied tersely, putting the Kryptonite in a bag.

"Hold on…" I heard typing and a series of clicks, "Line secure. What happened?"

"Bruce is in terrible shape…he looks like shit."

"And Catwoman?"

"She is beat up, but she wasn't the target."

"Do we know who attacked them?"

I sighed. "Selina…Selina said that Superman attacked them."

"WHAT!" I jumped as Oracle's voice shrieked in my ear.

"OW! Jeez Babs, I'm wearing an earpiece here!"

"Sorry Dick. Superman attacked them?"

I nodded, "That's what Selina said, and I have a piece of Kryptonite with blood on it."

"Where are Bruce and Selina now?"

"I programmed the Jet to fly them directly to the Watch Tower. They should be arriving momentarily.

BATMAN

Kal-el sat across from Diana; he glared at her, giving his meanest glare. She shook her head and smiled.

"King me!"

Grumbling, Kal placed another black piece on the board.

"It's hard to think you just learned this game," he muttered.

Diana smiled ravishingly at him. "Really, it's not that difficult, Kal."

He rolled his eyes and glanced around the Tower. The Earth was quiet. There were no current emergencies; most of the major villains were holed up for one reason or another. And then there was Batman…Bruce Wayne. That damnable man had grown more and more withdrawn since the event with Hush.

The door slid open and Wally 'The Flash' West walked in. He appeared next to Diana and Kal.

"Checkers? Don't two super humans have something better to do with their –" Wally stopped talking as a beeping began in the room. Kal and Diana were on their feet and moving to various panels.

"It's that one," J'onn J'onzz said as he came up through the floor. Wally materialized in front of the panel.

"It's the Bat Jet…Incoming on autopilot. Hmm…that's odd."

"What?" Kal asked, coming to stand beside Wally. Wally pointed at the life form indicator.

"There's two people shoved in there, life signs fading fast."

Diana opened her mouth to reply when a red flashing light came on.

"WARNING. APPROACH TRAGECTORY OFF. COLLISION IN TEN…NINE…"

"Kal!" She cried, but he was already gone.

BATMAN

Kal-el flew out and met the Bat Jet. He glanced inside the canopy and was surprised to see Batman and Catwoman, both considerably worse for wear. He grabbed the Jet and brought it in for a gentle landing on the landing deck.

He turned as Diana, Wally, J'onn, and John Stewart rushed in. At that moment, the canopy slid open. Kal reached in and pulled the two out. They were both unconscious. Bruce was a mangled mess. Kal knelt next to the two.

"By Athena…" Diana murmured, "What happened to them?"

"I don't know…"

John Stewart pointed his ring at the two limp bodies and ran a diagnostic. "Bruce is nearly dead. I don't even think the healing ray will help him."

Wally glanced at the black man. "We have those new tanks…"

"We do not know the side effects," J'onn J'onzz said. Wally rounded on him.

"We know the side effects of not doing it- death. I say we do it, and side effects be damned."

"I agree with Wally," Diana said. She reached out and touched Bruce's mangled jaw. "This is bad…very bad."

Kal nodded. "Alright…we'll use the tank." He reached down to gather Bruce into his arms when Selina's eyes snapped open.

She took one look at Kal, kneeling next to her, and she flung herself onto Bruce. "Don't touch him!" She snarled. Kal stepped back in surprise.

"Selina, I just want to help…"

"Help? You were the one that did this!"

BATMAN

End Chapter One

AN: So, what do you guys think so far? Please review and tell me what you think, I really appreciate it.

Chapter Two: Nightwing appears with the evidence, Bruce is put in these new healing tanks. Selina and Kal have a talk.


End file.
